New South Wales Australia Asbestos disease compensation claim processing times have more than ‘halved’

The NSW government has reported the average processing time for people with insurance claims for dust diseases has fallen from 136 to 66 days since it made changes to the scheme last year.

Minister for Finance, Services and Property Dominic Perrottet said the reforms to Dust Diseases Care, which is part of Insurance & Care NSW, was saving time for victims and their families. Mr Perrottet said the workers compensation scheme had also met the government’s new two-day target for considering and approving processed claims.

“If you are diagnosed with a dust disease, you need certainty, and you need fast, efficient access to care and assistance – there is no excuse for bureaucratic delays at such a difficult time,” Mr Perrottet said. Some of the workers are from the former James Hardie asbestos factory in Sydney, Australia. Australia had a vast asbestos mining industry in the 20th century.

Karen Banton, widow of asbestos disease advocate Bernie Banton who died in 2007, said in a government media statement that people who have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease have their lives turned upside down. She said timely determination of compensation applications made a huge difference to people’s lives. Click on the above link to read more.

Asbestos exposure causes many diseases in the USA and around the world including mesothelioma and lung cancer. Lung cancer is the top cancer killer in the U.S. It’s diagnosed in more than 220,000 people a year and it killed nearly 160,000 people last year, according to the National Cancer Institute. Asbestos exposure can lead to diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. If you, a family member or a friend were diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, we may be able to help. We have been assisting our clients with their asbestos cases since 1975. Please contact our office at 1-800-995-6991, for a free consultation.